Devil Dogs
by FoxBlitz
Summary: The dawn of a new war is upon Gallia. Revenge and hatred drive a hardened squad of militia against the enemy lines. They have nothing left to lose and everything to gain. Enter the Devil Dogs.
1. Ch1 Dark Greetings

A/N: This is going to be a bit of a darker Valkyria Chronicles fiction. Rated T, it may go up to M later. There will be character deaths so just giving you all a heads up beforehand. I don't own any part of Valkyria Chronicles.

* * *

Dark Greetings

"That's one hell of a plan you have there prince," commented a well-decorated, young commander as he tossed a stack of orders back down on the conference table. "Bold, ambitious, and completely underhanded," he took a sip of his drink, "I like it. Count me in."

"Glad to see you are on board Commander Doyle," answered the regal looking prince sitting at the head of the table. "It would have been a shame to lose a man of your caliber to a misunderstanding." Two armed Imperial shocktroopers walked out from behind their hidden places next to the fireplace and stood resolutely at their master's side.

Chuckling, Commander Doyle took another sip of his drink. "You're as cautious as they say Prince Raphael Von Reginrave. That's one of the things I like about this plan. There's just one question I have. Your brother Prince Maximilian underestimated Gallia's combat prowess when he attacked it five years ago. I think you might be focusing too much on the Federation and not enough on this proposed front."

"Gallia will fall Commander," answered Prince Raphael. "The cogs of their downfall have already been set into motion." He picked up a picture of a dashing looking Gallian tank commander from the stacks of files on the desk and held out a lighter. "It's only a matter of time now…" he finished as the picture began to burn.

* * *

"They've been eating my tomatoes mostly," stated Largo as he lead Welkin though his vegetable farm. "I just can't seem to get these pests to leave my babies alone."

Welkin knelt down and began to examine the crops closer. He tread his fingers through the vines and checked the skins of the tomatoes. After a little bit of searching he found some beetle egg clusters. "Looks like you have a simple case of tomato beetles. As their name suggests, they live and thrive on tomatoes which is why the rest of your vegetable patches have remained untouched."

"That's good and all boss, but how do I get rid of them?" asked Largo as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"We just need to get some river toads over here and they should take care of the problem without messing with your vegetables," answered Welkin as he continued to check the tomato vines. Then he got his nature gleam in his eyes again. "Did you know that their tongues can stretch over five feet in distance when they are fully grown?"

"Hm, boss? As much as I enjoy your knowledge of nature, do you think that we can head in for dinner before you dive into fact mode?" questioned Largo again as he pointed back towards his house with the back of his thumb.

Standing up, Welkin bushed the dirt off of his pants. "As much as I'd love too, I should probably be getting back. Alicia said she had something to give me this evening and I probably shouldn't keep her waiting."

Largo let out a low wolf-like whistle. "Hot damn boss. Well who am I to keep you away from a night of romance like that? Let's get you back double time."

"Thanks Largo I really…" Welkin's face got bright red all of a sudden. Over the years, Alicia had been able to pound into his head the subtleties of what some of his sentences could sound like. "Whoa, I didn't mean that! It's a present! A gift!"

"I can think of a few enjoyable gifts…" grinned Largo. Welkin said nothing else as he retreated back to Largo's house to gather his things while the ex-lancer followed letting out a heartily laugh the entire way.

* * *

"Goodnight Isara," said Alicia as she tucked her daughter into bed and kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight mommy," replied Isara as she curled up under the warmth of the blankets. "Baking bread today was really fun."

Nodding with a smile, Alicia added, "It sure was. Tomorrow, daddy promised to take you hiking through the woods didn't he?"

"Yep!" giggled Isara.

"Well be sure to get a good night's rest then," smiled Alicia. "I'll see you in the morning." She then turned off the lights and headed downstairs.

"Isara's all tucked in?" asked Susie from the living room.

Slowly walking downstairs, Alicia rounded the corner into the living room. "Yes, and thank you again for helping me with the dinner rush at the bakery this evening. Things were getting pretty hectic."

"That's what friends are for, right?" smiled Susie. "And besides, it's fun to help out around the store. The work environment there is so fun."

Sitting down, Alicia continued, "I could hire you on full time you know. I've been looking for an assistant baker. And you would be working next door to that store clerk that you've been flirting with for the last few days."

Susie's face turned a deep crimson. "What? No! I haven't been…! It's not like…! How could you…?" She looked down at her lap. "Is it that obvious?" she finally managed to whisper.

Alicia let out a light chuckle. "It's pretty easy to see, but good for you Susie! You deserve to be happy and from what I hear, he likes you too. You just need to give it a little push, and if you don't then that means I'll just have to give you a little push. I wonder what kind of things he would want to know about you?"

"You wouldn't!" chided Susie despite her embarrassment. She tossed a throw pillow at her friend to emphasize her point.

* * *

"In position sir," reported a cloaked figure to his superior as the leader surveyed the target house. "The lights upstairs have all gone dark, but the shadows downstairs indicate two people talking."

The sun had set and the country side of Bruhl was covered in darkness. The houses here were scattered pretty far in between. The team could get their job done quickly and any noise they made wouldn't be heard by any neighbors. This was almost too easy. "We have our orders," commanded the leader. "Give the signal."

Moments later bushes shifted and shadows danced as eight dark figures encircled the target house.

* * *

"Good evening Welkin," greeted Eleanor from the kitchen when the former tank commander and Largo entered the farmhouse. "I've almost finished with dinner, you're welcome to join us."

"Thank you for the hospitality, but I should be getting back home. Alicia's waiting for me," replied Welkin as he picked up his backpack and slung it around his shoulder. "I'll have to accept your offer some other time if that's alright with you."

Eleanor shifted one of the living room curtains. "It's gotten dark outside. At least let Largo drive you back."

"Dinner's almost ready, I wouldn't want you two to let it get cold on my account," responded Welkin.

"Nonsense boss," chided Largo as he wrapped Welkin up in a headlock with one of his muscular arms. "I can get you there and be back in a jiffy. Come on!"

Arms flailing, Welkin could only manage to get out, "Whoa! Take it easy Largo!" Moments later, he found himself being dragged towards Largo's truck.

"Drive safely!" called out Eleanor from the doorway. Largo answered with a wave as he pulled the truck down the dirt road.

* * *

"I'm going to make some coffee, do you want some?" asked Alicia as she got up and started towards the kitchen.

Following her friend, Susie answered, "Actually, I should probably be getting back home."

"You could spend the night," offered Alicia. "You live on the other side of the village and it's gotten pretty dark out already. It will be just like all those sleepovers we had when we were teenagers."

Susie seemed to be split on the decision. "I don't know…" She looked at the pleading puppy dog eyes of her friend. "That's not fair! Fine, okay, I'll spend the night in the guest bedroom."

There was a knocking at the front door. "Now who could that be at such a late hour?" questioned Alicia as she picked up a towel to wipe her hands.

"I'll get it," offered Susie as she walked to the front of the house.

Alicia continued to work with the coffee fixings when a lone pistol shot rang throughout the house followed by the sound of someone hitting the floor. "Susie!" she shouted sharply just a split second before the sounds of the back and side doors bursting open and several windows shattering filled the house.

Alicia grabbed a pistol that she kept hidden under the kitchen counter. Welkin hated guns, but Alicia kept one hidden in every part of the house anyway. It was a habit that the previous war drilled into her, never be too far from a firearm.

Two scouts rushed the kitchen and Alicia took down one of them while the other one dove behind the upturned dining room table. There was only one thought running through her mind right now, '_Get to Isara!_' Assault gunfire trailed behind Alicia as she raced up the stairs. Wood splintered and shattered as the bullets destroyed the staircase. Susie lay still in the front doorway.

Alicia burst into her daughter's room and gasped with a sharp intake of breath. Isara laid face down on the floor of her room with a hooded scout standing over her. The pistol in his hand was still smoking. "No! No! No!" yelled Alicia as she unloaded her entire pistol clip into the man that killed her daughter.

She sank to her knees as the enemy scout crumpled to the ground. Suddenly her chest erupted in pain and she lurched forward onto the bedroom floor. A small wrapped box tumbled out of her pocket. Her vision was going dark when a person who looked to be the leader of the group walked in. "Who are… you? Why… why… did you do… this…?" she struggled to get out. The enemy leader didn't respond. He merely looked Alicia in the eyes as he raised his gun and fired one last final shot.

"Sir!" called out another scout from the first floor. "The rest of the house is clear! He's not here!"

The leader let out a silent curse. "If we go back empty-handed, then we're dead men. I want two men inside the house and the rest of us will form up outside. We'll wait for him to return."

* * *

"Thanks again for the ride Largo," thanked Welkin. "I'll be sure to collect some river frogs to help out with your pest problem tomorrow during my nature hike with my daughter."

"Thanks buddy, I sure do appreciate that," answered Largo. "Be sure to give the little miss's my best regards."

A few minutes later, the two pulled up to front of the Gunther house. "Thanks again Largo," provided Welkin as he stepped out of the truck. However Largo was staring at the house instead of answering. "What's wrong?"

Largo turned off the truck and stepped out while pulling out a shotgun from under the driver's seat. "I don't know, but something's not right. Look there, several windows have been smashed in. We should probably…wait!"

Welkin had already torn into the house. "Alicia! Isara!" He paused momentarily at the front door when he saw Susie. "No…no… No!" he continued to rush upstairs. He came upon the body of his wife and daughter and fell to his knees, crying out in despair.

Not even four hours ago they had been laughing at the town bakery in the store kitchens together during the dinner rush. There was one part in particularly that stood out in his mind where he had dropped a large bag of flour and a white plume of the stuff had covered him like a ghost as it flew up from the floor impact. Isara had been giggling adorably as he chased her around the kitchen with Alicia scolding them happily to get back to work. Susie was smiling at their antics from the front as she took orders. All he could see were their bright and joyful faces. The blank, bloody ones staring back at him right now were foreign.

He picked up Alicia in a close embrace and didn't know whether to cry or shout out in anger. He held to cold body of his wife tightly as if he was trying to warm it back to life with his own anguish. Welkin just kept rocking back and forth, whispering, "No, no, no, no, no…"

Somehow in his anguish, he heard the cocking of a pistol and his instincts spun him around in time to knock the gun out of the hand of the intruding scout. He cried out in anger and pain as he continued to charge and drive the scout against the wall and picked up a flower vase before he proceeded to smash it against the man's head. As the pair fell to the ground, Welkin continued to beat the scout unconscious with his fists. He looked up to come face-to-face with the barrel of a rifle.

The explosion of gunfire leaving a gun barrel filled the house and the second scout crumbled to the ground with Largo standing at the top of the stairs with a smoking pistol. His shotgun was slung over his shoulder. "There might be more of them. We should get down to the town watch station and get some backup."

"No! I won't leave Alicia and Isara!" countered Welkin as he struggled against Largo's grip. A fist connected with his jaw.

"Snap out of it boss! They're dead! There's nothing you can do for them except remain alive! So get up and let's get moving! There could be more of them out there!" The sound of the front door being burst open echoed up the stairs. Dropping his pistol, Largo spun his shotgun around and caught a cloaked scout charging through the doorway square in the stomach. He dove to the side as assault rifle fire shot upstairs.

Welkin ducked inside the master bedroom for a split second and reemerged with an assault rifle. He may have disapproved of Alicia storing guns around the house, but that didn't mean that he didn't know where they were. With a loud anguishing battle cry he charged downstairs spraying bullets as he ran. Another scout fell as he rolled into the dining room.

Largo looked around the corner of the staircase and caught the attention of a scout that opened fire. "Argh!" cursed Largo as he took a bullet to the left shoulder. He could hear the scout racing up the stairs to finish him. He picked up a broken table leg and tossed it across the wall opposite of the stairs. The table leg bounced off the wall and back down the stairs. The distracted scout fired off a few rounds as the table leg flew at him. Largo jumped out from behind his cover and finished off the scout with a single burst from his shotgun.

The enemy leader watched as the last of his scouts came tumbling back downstairs. '_This was supposed to be a simple assassination mission!_' he shouted at himself. '_I still have to finish it!_'

He crept into the dining room when he heard a sound from the kitchen. Without hesitation, he let loose a barrage of bullets into the offending room. He dared to let out a smirk seconds before a counter fire of bullets flew through the overturned dining room table and took him out.

"We need to go!" demanded Largo as he stumbled downstairs gripping his bleeding shoulder. Welkin stood up from the dining table and helped his friend out of the house and into the truck. Speeding off, Welkin took one last look over his shoulder at his house as it continued to darken in the distance.

* * *

Two hours later, a group of Bruhl town watchmen returned with Welkin to the house as they looked the place over and carried Alicia, Isara, and Susie out to be buried. They also took the one scout Welkin knocked out into custody to get information on the attack. The seven remaining intruders where tossed into a hastily constructed mass grave next to the house. The watchmen promised to move them to the graveyard later when things calmed down.

As Welkin walked through the destruction that was his house, he noticed a small wrapped gift box lying on the floor in his daughter's room. Picking it up slowly, he opened it and pulled out a pocket watch. There was an engraving on the back that read, "_When I'm with you, time stands still, Alicia._"

Tears began to flow freely from Welkin's face. How could he have forgotten? This was the anniversary of the day he and Alicia had first met. This was why Alicia had told him to come home early. He should have been home. He could have protected his family. Largo's farm could have waited another day. He remained quiet, silently crying to himself as two town watchmen helped to carry him back to a truck that drove him back to town hospital.

As Welkin walked into Largo's hospital room, he heard Eleanor tell Largo, "Well at least now we know who targeted Welkin and his family."

"What?" demanded Welkin. He rushed up to Eleanor and shook her by the shoulders. "Who? Who was it?"

"Enough Welkin!" shouted Largo as he jumped out of bed and pushed the enraged nature lover away from his wife.

"The Empire," answered Eleanor as she straightened up her ruffed up clothes. "Prince Raphael has just declared war once again on both Gallia and the Federation. He probably was the one who sent an assassination squad to kill you. He probably wanted to kill Gallia's best tank commander before the war even started." She turned towards Largo. "I've been recalled from the reserves back to active duty. I'm to lead the militia forces once again."

Largo sighed heavily. "Hopefully, the third time we fight together will be the end of it. I'm getting too old for this."

"Raphael…" muttered Welkin as he gripped his pocket watch even tighter. "I'll kill him." Looking up at Eleanor, he declared, "Sign me up."


	2. Ch2 A Rough Start

A/N: Just a few comments:

**DC20 **- Thanks for the detailed review. Alright well, I've done a couple of revisions and a couple of additions, mostly focusing on those areas you mentioned where a little lacking (Welkin's initial reactions in Ch1, battle scenes in Ch2, etc.). Hopely there's a little more character development and detail there now. As for your question, the named characters at the end aren't going to be the only characters I use, but they will probably be the core of Welkin's new squad.

**Dark Knight Gafgar **- Figured someone would mention this sooner or later. The way I see it is that Alicia used up all her Valkyrur powers after her disrupted build-up against the Marmota. That final sacred blue flame of the Valkyrur is supposed to be a finishing erruption right? That's not just something you can just cancel when it goes critical. Well, I saw the swirling glowing dustlights after Alicia and Welkin's embrace as the dissapating of Alicia's powers - the blue flame giving life instead of death kind of thing. As for the young, little Isara, I don't believe there is a set age in which the powers kick in but I believe she was still too young for them to work. Also, Fadio shot Alicia at Naggiar but her powers didn't come into play until he gave her a lance and shield; neither of which was at the Gunther household.

Please review guys, it helps guide and adjust the story.

* * *

A Rough Start

Three weeks had passed since the unfortunate events at Bruhl. Three weeks since the Third Europan War had begun. Imperial forces had already dived deep onto Gallian soil. Key leaders within the Federation had met fates similar to Welkin's; however, most of them were not fortunate enough to escape with their lives. Several border countries in the Federation were under Imperial control as well.

"What do you mean I can't have a squad?" demanded Welkin as he pounded his fist on Eleanor's desk. "I should be out on the battlefield right now! Not cooped up back here in Randgriz!"

"I understand your frustration Lt. Gunther, but you have to understand…" started Eleanor.

Welkin smashed his fist back down on the desk once again. "No! You don't understand! I've lost my father! My mother! My sister! My wife! My daughter! All to these damn Imperials!" The two militia guards standing at honorary attention behind Eleanor shifted uncomfortably. They sure didn't want to have to stop an enraged hero from the last war. "What do I possibly have left to lose? I need a squad to lead into battle against these bastards to end things once and for all!"

Despite the outburst and the fact that Welkin was leaning over her desk with eyes that looked completely feral, Eleanor retained her composure. Still seated, she continued, "I advise you to calm down lieutenant. I will not give you a squad with you in this state. You will only lead people to their deaths in your blind rage. Now get out of my office and cool down; maybe after you get your calm and collected head back, then we can talk."

Fighting the urge to pick up his chair and smash it against the wall, Welkin forced himself to stand at attention, salute, and leave the room. The two honor guards let out a sigh of relief that they hadn't realized they were holding.

Storming back down the hall, Welkin exited the headquarters building and proceeded to the commander's quarters. However, instead of entering it, he circled around to the back of it. There he slammed his fist against the wall and cried out in frustration, "Damn it, damn it, damn it! Damn those bastards! Damn the Imperials! Damn Raphael! Damn it Eleanor! Let me fight!" He picked up a fairly good sized rock with both hands and threw it against the dumpsters, one of which exploded into a sea of trash. Picking up a lengthy metal pole leftover from construction, Welkin continued to beat down on the broken dumpster while cursing at the top of his lungs.

He paused when he heard someone rush around the corner. Giving the dumpster one final hit he turned and came face-to-face with Marina Wulfstan. Her famed sniper rifle was slung over her shoulder, while she gripped a pistol out in front of her.

After scanning the area quickly, Marina dropped her weapon and holstered it. "Sorry sir," she stated quickly and abruptly. "Thought there was a fight going on."

Welkin blinked a few times as his anger slowly left him, his outburst interrupted. The metal pole slipped out of his hand and bounced on the dirt ground a few times. He slumped down to his knees and stared silently at the soil.

"Sir?" questioned Marina as she stepped a little closer to the troubled commander. "Are you alright?" There was still no reaction. She took a few more steps before kneeling down next to Welkin and shaking his shoulder.

Without warning he wrapped his arms around her and started crying freely into her shoulder. Marina was stunned. By now everyone knew what had happened to the tank commander's family, but seeing firsthand just how broken he had become was another thing.

Welkin just kept alternating between muttering "Alicia" and "Isara" and "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" over and over again. Marina awkwardly raised one arm to place on Welkin's shoulder while the other one was creeping towards her holstered pistol again. Tears continued to flow down Welkin's face freely and they were starting to soak Marina's left shoulder.

As her fingers brushed against the flap of her pistol holster, Marina paused and whispered back to Welkin, "It will be okay sir. Everything will be okay." They remained like that for about half an hour. Knelt down behind the commander's quarters. Welkin crying softly, while Marina remained silent.

After a while Welkin regained enough of his composure to break away and sat down a few feet from famed sniper. "Thank you for that Marina," he stated while staring at the chain link fence encircling the base.

Marina stood and walked a few steps back towards the alley that would lead to the front of the compound. "Not all hunts can be successful sir. Sometimes the prey returns to face the hunter," she said matter-of-factly as she walked away.

Lying back on the ground, Welkin remained there by himself for another hour just watching the clouds slowly move across the sky. Finally he had gathered enough of himself to walk around the compound again. It had been like this for the past few weeks. He would have fits of anger and then periods of pity afterwards whenever he thought about that night.

He dragged himself over the tank hangar slowly and walked down the rows until he came across a familiar looking tank, the Edelweiss. The tank had been a gift from his late father and maintained by his late sister. It was all he really had left to remember them by. He pulled out the pocket watch Alicia had given him. It was all he really had to remember his wife and daughter. He gave the Edelweiss a quick check over. It was in full working condition as always.

He jumped up onto the hood and leaned against the tank barrel. This was the only real place that he had been able to feel at peace all week. Just grabbing at old memories and hoping to return to them.

A short while later, Leon noticed a figure sitting on top of the famous Gallian tank. "Hey you! Get off of there!" he shouted as he ran over. "That's Welkin's tank! No one's allowed up there except for…" he trailed off as he noticed he was yelling at the very people in question. "Oops. Uh sorry about that Welkin my man. We've been getting new recruits coming over to check out your tank all the time and I thought you were one too."

Welkin slid off of the Edelweiss and walked by Leon without saying anything. "Hey, cold much?" accused Leon as he walked alongside the lieutenant. "I already said I'm sorry."

"Look Leon, it's not that," started Welkin. "There's just a lot going on that I'm trying to clear up in my head right now. And to add to the mix, Captain Varrot won't let me take command of a squad yet."

Leon continued to walk down the tank rows with Welkin for a bit. "I'm sorry about what happened to…"

"Don't!" interrupted Welkin as he turned sharply and smashed his fist against the metal hull of a tank. "I don't want to hear anymore apologizes about that night. It was my fault and I'm sick of hearing others say they are sorry. Just drop it." With that he turned and continued out of the hangar.

Calling out to the tank commander, Leon shouted, "Just know that we're here for you man! Everyone in R&D is worried about you!"

It was beginning to get dark as Welkin made his walk over to the mess hall. There were only a few militia left throughout the cafeteria and the line was about to close up as Welkin picked up his tray.

"Here you go sonny," provided Yoko as she poured some mashed potatoes and gravy onto his plate, and then scooped up some roast beef and corn as well. "I know it's hard honey, but know that all of us in the kitchens are here for you if you need to talk," she added as she placed a brownie on his tray as well. With a slight nod, Welkin headed off to a deserted corner of the mess hall and sat down by himself.

He ate some of his food but just picked at most of it. As he was swirling the mashed potatoes around, a food tray was dropped on the tableside opposite of him. He looked up as Largo settled down into his own seat. "How you holding up kid?"

"They won't even let me fight," answered Welkin dejectedly as he continued to play with his food. "Aren't I supposed to be some brilliant commander for the Gallian forces? Isn't that why the Imperials targeted me and my family in the first place?" He started to swirl his potatoes even faster and more angrily. "Why am I on the sidelines as the Imperial forces drive further and further into our home?"

"You're being benched because you can't calm down," replied Largo. "State you're in, you're liable to get everyone under you killed in a bloodlust charge. The Imperials may have failed in their mission to dispose of you, but they succeeded in making you unfit for battle."

Welkin pounded the table with both fists. "You don't understand Largo! Nobody seems to understand! I need to get out there and fight! Sitting around here day after day doing nothing is tearing me up inside! Every time I think about what happened to Alicia and Isara…" he trailed off.

Sighing, Largo ate some of his roast beef. "Look, I'll talk to Eleanor again. See if I can get her to assign you to do something fruitful. I won't promise anything, but I need you to promise that you'll collect yourself and start to think rationally again. We need the Welkin who can take a look at the battlefield and see everything. All you can see right now is red. It won't please Alicia or Isara any to get yourself killed stupidly out there."

"Fine, I'll try," stated Welkin. Both continued to eat in silence for a few minutes. Then without warning, air sirens started to go off throughout the compound. A faint whistling sound could be heard overhead. "What is…?"

Welkin didn't get to finish that statement as the right side of mess hall exploded and benches and tables flew everywhere. "Get down!" ordered Largo as he threw Welkin to the ground and everyone else in the mess scrambled for cover. "How the hell did the Imperials get this far already?"

Staring up through the gaping hole in the side of the building, Welkin made out the sight of dark shadows buzzing around in the moonlight sky. "They're attacking from the sky!" He scrambled out of the front of the mess as ragnite bombs exploded throughout the compound, one striking the ground about a hundred feet to his right. The air pressure from the explosion threw him against several crates of supplies.

His ears ringing, Welkin forced himself to his feet. His side hurt for some reason, but he ignored it. Largo was standing in front of the mess barking orders, but Welkin couldn't make out what he was saying. Anti-air guns blazed to life all throughout the compound and multiple aircraft began to spiral down in a swirl of fire.

More enemy planes surged towards the compound and Gallian fighter planes rushed to get off the ground. Welkin stumbled, but another person caught him before he hit the ground. The person was wearing a medic armband and was checking his side before shouting into Welkin's ear. It took a few moments to register, "… just a heavy bruise… you'll be fine… give it a moment… find cover…" Then the medic rushed off inside the mess to find someone else to help.

Sounds began to return to Welkin's ears and his brain started to work again. He rushed to the side of a down militiaman. The soldier was dead, hit by some shrapnel. Welkin picked up the abandoned rifle and fired a few rounds at the low flying enemy aircraft. He rushed up to Largo, Hector, Melville, Ramsey, and several other militia he didn't recognize that were laying down a heavy barrage of fire at the enemy aircraft.

"We need to scatter!" he urged them. "If we're too bunched up then a single explosion will take us out!" The group dispersed into three smaller groups.

More ragnite bombs were dropped throughout the compound; then as quickly as the air attack started, it stopped. The rapid mobility and agility that air power offered was undeniable; the enemy fighter planes retreating back across the moonlit skies was proof of that. Smoke rose throughout the Gallian compound as flames raged and fire suppression teams began to rush in putting out the flames before more buildings burned down.

"Concentrate more water on the west side!" ordered Welkin as he joined with the teams putting out the fires. "Focus at the base of the flames and shift the hose side to side slowly!"

Largo had organized a line of workers to use sand bags to smother the flames at the base of the hardened structures. Due to the quick response, the respective burn-outs were quickly contained; however, other parts of the base were still burning uncontrollably. As Welkin's team was putting out the last of the flames in their area, his mind was still thinking about the air raid. "There were too few planes for that to be a serious attack," muttered Welkin as he continued to scan the skies.

"Maybe we were just lucky," countered Largo as he pasted another bucket down the line. "This air warfare thing is still new. Could be communication and tactical errors on their part."

Still not convinced, Welkin asked, "Where did you say the closest Imperial lines were again?"

"Somewhere up north by Asione, why?" answered Largo.

Welkin let out a curse as he shut off his hose and pulled out his binoculars. Scanning the waters to the north of Castle Randgriz, he let out another low curse. "The planes were a distraction. The main force is attacking from the sea!" He passed the binoculars to Largo. Sure enough, multiple assault boats were moving towards the shore loaded with troops and armor.

"Why aren't our guns firing?" demanded Largo as he picked up a discarded lance from a broken weapons crate.

"They were probably the main target of the planes," stated Welkin as he scanned the ramparts of Castle Randgriz. Black smoke rose thickly from the back walls. "I need a radio! Ramsey!" The engineer in question fumbled with the radio on her belt for a few seconds before tossing it to the lieutenant. "Squadron leaders come in! This is Lt. Gunther. The air raid is a distraction! Gather everyone you can and bring them north of the castle! The main enemy force comes by sea! I need lancers and armor! I say again! Move north of castle! Enemy attack by sea! Send reinforcements!"

He tossed the radio back at Ramsey. "Send the message again in one minute!" he ordered. He turned to the rest of the militia in the area that had gathered around him. "Everyone, on me! Drop what you're doing, grab your armaments, and follow me! We've got to move!"

About five minutes later, Welkin's ragtag team reached the castle ramparts. It appeared that they were the first. "Ramsey! Status on reinforcements!"

"Everyone's scrambling but they should be here in the next ten to fifteen minutes! They've finally finished containing the majority of the fires!" called back Ramsey.

Welkin scanned the sea again. The assault craft were maybe three minutes away from the shore. "They won't be here in time." He scanned the ramparts, most of the regular military stationed here were either dead or badly wounded. Those that could fight were already aiming the turret guns that were still in one piece.

There were plenty of heavy weapons lying around but there weren't nearly enough people to use them. "I want machine gun crews set up every twenty meters along the wall! Everyone else, pick up a lance and take aim! You should at least have the basic training experience to fire it. Aim for the boats before they can release the enemy!"

Positions were taken and weapons setup. The strike force was a minute from the shore. "For Gallia!" shouted Welkin as he fired a lance and struck an assault boat directly square in the center. The ramparts lit up with similar battle cries as lances were fired and the turret heavy guns began their barrage. The trained lancers had already reloaded by the time the first boats reached the shore and cut loose a subsequent wave of explosive fire as the more inexperienced bombardiers struggled to load a second shell. The machine gun crews opened up and the beach become a chaotic mess of hot gunfire as a mix of lances, rifles, machine guns, and assault rifles fired back and forth.

An enemy lance round struck a turret gun, then another, and another. Gallian machine gun fire mowed down multiple Imperials. Several long minutes went back and forth like this. Even though the Gallians were dug in, they were losing men and women fast.

"I've got more ammo!" shouted Ramsey as she rushed towards a turret gun carrying a box of piercing rounds. An enemy lance round rushed from somewhere in the chaotic sands and struck the gun dead center.

Time seemed to slow to snail's pace for Welkin as he watched the gun seem to implode, and then expand the point in which the rivets were struggling to contain the gun before it just erupted in a mass of plasma and hot twisted metal. Ramsey and the turret gun's crew just disappeared from the ramparts as the immediate area around the gun just disintegrated.

"Damn it!" shouted Welkin as dropped this spent lance and drew an assault rifle that he had slung across his chest. He had only really known Ramsey in the beginning of the last war before she transferred to another squad, but it still tore away at him to watch another person he personally knew die before his eyes.

He had been famous in the last war for never having a fatality among his squad. His people had taken some hits, but the field medics had always been able to save them in time. Now, thanks to this surprise attack and his lack of familiarity with his rushed and rag-tag mixed squad member militia team, Gallian soldiers were dying left and right under his temporary command. Tears ran down his eyes as he sprayed bullets downrange and fought back memories of Alicia telling him how important it was to get to know his squad mates.

Bullets and lance rounds continued to fill the air as both sides fought for control of the beachhead. With most of the turret guns destroyed, boats were dropping fresh crews on the shore quicker and the Imperial side was growing in strength. Enemy engineers were dropping makeshift cover for the enemy lancers as they resupplied them. Enemy shocktroopers were using the jagged rock sprouted throughout the beachhead to leapfrog up the battle space. Adversary scouts were spotting the few opposing snipers hidden between overturned boats to pick off the Gallian machine gun crews and lancers.

This had caused multiple machine gun crews to fall silent. Welkin knew that anyone manning those guns right now would become an instant target, but they were needed to suppress the enemy from moving too freely. "I need people to re-man those machine guns!" he forced himself to order as he sprayed another stream of bullets from his assault rifle.

Out of the cornered of his eye, Welkin noticed Melville racing to one of the machine gun nests and shoving a slumped over militiaman aside. The gun roared to life again. "Here! Take some of this Imperial bastards!" shouted Melville as he continued to fire. He seemed to be especially accurate at striking the shocktroopers as they attempted to charge up the beachhead.

"Cover the heavy guns!" additionally ordered Welkin as he rushed to Melville's side. "Protect them as they reload!" He set down his assault rifle and picked up Melville's scouting rifle to shoot more accurately. Other militia moved to assist the remaining guns.

The red mohawk-haired man noticed a machine gun being set up by the Imperials on the beach and opened fire on it. He took down the initial crew as the clip on his gun expired. As he grabbed a fresh string of bullets to reload, a new crew picked up the weapon and sent several hot rounds in Melville's direction. "Ugh!" groaned Melville as he took several of the slugs to the chest.

"Melville!" shouted Welkin as he pulled the scout down behind cover and looked over the wound. The red mohawk-haired man was hit badly. Blood was flowing freely. "Don't you die on me!" stressed Welkin as he ripped open the basic medical kit on Melville's belt. "Medic! I need a medic!" he called out urgently as he jammed several rolls of gauze into the bullet wounds on Melville. The blood wouldn't stop.

Melville was drawing in air at a weird gasping rate. One of his hands found its way to Welkin's arm as the lieutenant continued to put pressure on the bleeding. Their eyes locked and Melville managed to get out, "Guess the joke's on me sir. Give'em hell…" Then he coughed out a large amount of blood and his hand fell limp.

"Melville! Melville! Damn it! Stay with me! Where's my medic?" shouted Welkin. Again. Again he had lost someone he had known. Again the Imperials had taken someone from him. Melville was in a different squad in the last war as well, but always seemed to hang around squad seven because he was Ted's friend and the two would always joke around to keep up the squad's spirits.

Within seconds, Welkin had reloaded the machine gun and jumped up yelling unintelligently as he wildly sprayed bullets downrange. Several Imperials took notice of this and fired at the enraged lieutenant with pinpoint accuracy. Largo barely managed to drag Welkin down in time to save his life.

"Cool it boss!" ordered Largo as he shook Welkin a few times. "Listen to me! You're getting too wrapped up and losing it again! You can mourn for the dead after the battle! You're in charge here! Now act like it!"

Welkin looked dazed for a moment before his eyes refocused. "Thanks Largo…" he fumbled to say. "You're right…" He picked up his assault rifle and turned to reengage the enemy.

Then the situation got worse. Several boats reached the shore that dropped light and medium tanks into the battle. Largo and Hector jumped up from behind cover together and quickly brought down a medium tank with two well aimed shots. "I hate to say it, but we need to go boss! We can't hold much longer!" shouted Largo as he ducked back down behind cover to reload.

"No! We have to hold!" counter-ordered Welkin. "If we abandon this position, then we open up Randgriz to the Imperials! Dig in and fight! Our reinforcements should be here any moment!" Another explosion lit up the ramparts between Welkin and Largo causing the two fly away from each other.

Another few minutes passed, and most of the enemy boats had been emptied on the beachhead. Imperial troops were rushing up towards the ramparts. Another minute or two and the Gallian defenders would be overrun. Welkin was firing his assault rifle as his life depended on it when the rifle clicked repeatedly. "I'm out! Toss me a clip!"

A lancer to his left tossed him a clip while shouting, "Last one! Make it count!" The lancer raised his lance and fired another shell. "Damn, now I'm out." He drew his shotgun. "Hell of a backup weapon to issue to us lancers."

Seconds now and the enemy would be upon them. '_I'll be with you soon Alicia, Isara…_' thought Welkin as his rifle clicked empty once again. He fixed a bayonet onto his rifle and several of the remaining militiamen followed his lead. Suddenly a tank round whistled overhead and an enemy armor exploded. A Gallian battle cry erupted as reinforcements supported the ramparts and friendly tanks rolled into action.

Welkin remained couched behind his broken stone wall as he watched more Gallian squads rush to strengthen the lines and friendly tanks rush to the front, their gun batteries blazing and large main barrels firing in turn. Everything seemed to blur together at the end there. He recalled his ragged, surviving initial defenders cheering. The fresh soldiers working fast to pour on the heat. Enemy forces breaking and in disarray.

Realizing the tide had turned, the assaulting Imperials began surrendering all over the place. The surprise attack was over and Gallia had emerged the victor despite heavy losses.

* * *

"We need to strike them back now!" urged Welkin as he stood in line with all the other squad leaders in front of Captain Varrot's desk early the following morning. "A counterattack must be launched immediately before the enemy can reinforce their lines at Asione! If they hold that position, then they can try a similar strike!"

"And this time we'll be ready!" countered the leader of the Cerberus 3rd squad. "Besides, we don't even have the means to counter if we wanted to. We don't have too many assault boats here and our planes are a far cry from what the Empire has. Our best bet is to hole up, protect the capital, and let the regular military outflank them from Vasel."

"This is ridiculous!" shouted back Welkin. "You would let the Imperials lick their wounds and get stronger, when we could cripple their offensive right now? They stretched themselves too thin after that failed attack! The best way to halt their blitzkrieg tactics to hit them hard after stopping an offensive. We're already halfway there!"

"And what do you expect to hit them with huh?" fought back the 3rd squad leader. "Our forces are in disarray, two of our main ammo depots were struck in the bombing raid, and getting armor across the river in that short amount of time is a logistical nightmare! Besides, we don't have anyone foolhardy enough to lead such a reckless assault."

"I'll do it," stated Welkin clearly and calmly. "I've got a plan already." The rest of the squad leaders started to whisper amongst themselves. Welkin turned to Captain Varrot. "Just give me permission ma'am."

Eleanor remained silent with her hands cupped, her face buried in a thinking pose behind them. "Striking before the Imperials can resupply their most forward position would be a great advantage for us, but do you seriously think that you could pull it off lieutenant?"

"Yes ma'am," came the quick response.

Still in her thinking pose, Eleanor continued, "You realize that you don't actually have a squad, right?" Welkin remained at attention, staring intensely at the Captain. "Tell me this plan of yours."

Welkin opened a map of the Asione region on Eleanor's desk. "First off a single squad will land under the cover of darkness about a mile west of Asione. This team will infiltrate the town in two separate groups; one of which will proceed for the command center while the other heads to the armor yard. Group B will set timed ragnite bombs on as many tanks as they can before falling back to the outskirts of the town. Group A will rush the command center as the bombs go off and take out as many officers as they can before falling back as well. Once back, the squad will lay down heavy distracting fire to keep the Imperial attention behind the village. We will make them believe the regular army is already trying to flank them. During this time, the main Gallian strike force will assault the lake town from the emptied beachhead."

The 3rd squad leader scoffed at the plan as Welkin finished. "You're joking right? Do you realize how many holes there are in that plan? First off the squad will be without armor. Next, do you really think militia can perform those tasks with as much precise timing as you're going to need? What if the enemy doesn't fall for the distraction and doesn't pull back from the beach? The main force will be annihilated!"

Captain Varrot was still staring at the map. "I assume you already have those in mind that you want for this mission?"

Welkin nodded sharply. "I'll be requesting five others for this mission ma'am: Hector Calvey, Dallas Wyatt, Jane Turner, Ted Ustinov, and Marina Wulfstan."

"Ma'am? You can't seriously be considering…" started the 3rd squad leader.

"Be ready to move out at 2100 hours Lt. Gunther," stated Captain Varrot. "The main force will be exactly forty five minutes behind you. The distraction attack must succeed before then."

"Yes ma'am!" saluted Welkin.

Standing up, Eleanor stared at Welkin sharply. "And lieutenant." She narrowed her glaze. "We're risking a lot here. This plan is promising but shaky. You better come through."

"The beach head will be clear," replied Welkin as he saluted one last time and turned to leave.

The 3rd squad leader grabbed him by his shoulder. "You realize that your team will be cut off from all support right?"

Welkin shifted his shoulder to shake off offending hand before staring at the man sharply with a piercing glaze. "Then you better not be late," he finished coldly as he left the room.


End file.
